Apparatus for disintegrating ores



Mar. 20,1923 1,448,759

- F. M. MARTIN APPARATUS FOR DISINTEGRATING ORES Original Filed Apr. 5, 191 9 5 sheets-shet 1 I H- i s INVENTOR Q m BY aJQqQMm ATTORNEY Mar. 20, 1923.

F. M. MARTIN APPARATUS FOR DISINTEGRATING' OR ES Original Filed Apr. 5, 191 9 5 sheets-sheet 2 wm v Q yaZuig am ORNEY Mar. 20, 1923.

' 1,448,759 F. M. MARTIN APPARATUS FOR DISI-NTEGRATING 'ORES' Ori inal Filed Apr. 5, 1919 5 sheets-sheet 5 INVENTOR A ORNEY Patented Mar. 20, 1923.

praise FRED MASON MARTIN, NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIG-NOR TO AMERICAN AND REFINING COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

Original applicationfiled April 3, 1919, Serial No. 28 7,137. Divided. and this application fi1ed.0ctober 28 Serial No. 333,892.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRED MASON MARTIN, acitizen of the United States, and resident of New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improven'ients in r'ipparatus for Disintegrating Ores, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to a machine for receiving amass of material which cannot be readily handled, such as wet concentrates, ores, slimes, clays and similar plastic ma terial, and for converting-the mass into a disintegrated stream having a regulated flow per unit. of time. This application constitutes adivision of my copending application on apparatus and method for sampling ore, Seria-l No. 287,137, filed April 3, 1919.

In the parent application there was disclosed a method which included. the steps of first forming a constant and uniform flow of material in a compact, solid stream. This compact stream was then acted upon by a disintegrator so as to form an open stream with the particles relatively small and spaced apart. By meansofarotary sampler there was a periodic abstraction of smalluniform samplesfrom this open stream whichsamples were assembled in one mass asto. obtain a fair sample of the entire original mass.

This application featuresthe stream handlingelements of, the original: disclosure in distinction from the combination which includes thesampling mechanism. The primary, object of the inventionis to provide a simple form of apparatus which will economically receive difiicultly haudable material, such Wet ores, feed the same at a regulated rate to ,a coacting disintegrating machine, designed to act, upon the compact stream and prepare the same for the sampling device. 4 Referring particularly to the disintegrator element of the disclosure, la n object of theinvention istoprovidea, simple combinn device which will acton the wet and often sticky ore. ,strean s to minimize the ad regen rthe particles ,i-forg each other and APPARATUS FOR. DISINTEGBAT'ING GEES.

thus prepare the stream for the action thereon of apparatus, such as the sampling device, which could not effectively act on the material when in its normalcaked condition.

Various other objects and advantages. of the invention will be in part obvious from an inspection of the accompanying drawings and in part will be more fully set forth in the following particular description of one form of mechanismembodying my invention, and the invention also .consists in certain new and novel features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter; set forth and claimed. I

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is an enlarged view of the material receiving hopper and disintegratingelement of a machine constituting a preferred embodiment of my complete invention and with parts of the hopper broken away to show internal construction. 1

F igure 2 is an enlarged view inright end elevation of the device shown in Figure 1 and with parts broken away.

Figure 3 is an enlarged plan view of the hopper looking down upon the device shown in Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken vertically through the lower portion of the hopper shown in Figure 3 and through the upper run, ofthe belt conveyor shown in. Figure 1 and. taken approximately upon the lines 44 of Fig.1.

Figure 5 is fragmentary view inside elevation of one of the intermediate disks of thedisintegrating element ofthe machine shown in Figure 2; and i Figures 6,7 and 8 are detailed transverse sectional views through the aperture of the disk shownnin Figurefi and taken respectively on the lines 6-7-6, 7 .7. and8-8 of this figure.

In the drawings, there is shown .asuitable supporting framework upon whichis mounted a iiXedopen-top hopper 16adapted to re ceive the material to be treated. The material in the hopper is moved .by a belt conveyor 17 defining the bottom of the hopper me the ee f; i dist l r-eat therefrom and is permitted to fall freely into engagement with a disintegrating device 18 which acts on the material to break up the stream discharged from the hopper. The broken-up stream is then permittedto fall onto a sampler or other treating device more particularly defined in the parent application above identified.

Referring particularly to Figures 1, 2 and 3 for a more detailed description of the hopper it will be noted that the receiving end of the hopper is provided with a pair of oppositely disposed, downwardly and inwardly inclined deflectors 23 which act to distribute the material discharged into the same and to dispose the same evenly on opposite sides of the longitudinal medial line through the hopper. Each of the deflectors is pivotally connected to the adjacent side of the hopper at its upper edge. The deflectors are each held in adjusted swinging position by means of a lifting rod 24 which passes through the adjacent side and is held in set position by nuts 25 as shown in Figure 2. The hopper is provided at its discharge end with an opening 26 having a width equal to that of the hopper but relatively small in its vertical dimension as shown in Figure 2. A plow 27, triangularshaped in plan as shown in Figure 3, is mounted at the discharge end of the hopper and is positioned above the opening 26. The plow is mounted for vertical adjustment on transverse bars 28 constituting internal braces for the hopper. Vertically adjustable hanging rods 29 connect the bars 28 with the advance edge and with opposite sides of the plow. By this construction the bottom edge of the plow is set at any desired distance above the conveyor 17 so as to regulate the depth of the stream of material delivered through the opening 26 to the dis-' integrator 18.

The belt conveyor 17 includes an endless material-receiving belt 30, the upper run of which fits relatively close to the open bottom of the hopper as shown in Figure 4 and constitutes a movable bottom for said hopper. This belt is relatively'wide and extends beyond opposite lateral sides of the hopper so as to minimize any tendency of leakage between the hopper and the conveyor. The belt encircles an endless driw ing frame 31 and has its upper run resting on the frame and held thereto frictionally but is otherwise unsecured to the frame. A plurality of longitudinally extending tracks, in Figure 4 shown to be four in number, extend parallel to the length of thehopper with the two inside tracks 82 positioned below the hopper and the two outside tracks 33 offset laterally to the outside of the hopper. The frame includes a series of transversely disposed bars 34 connected at their outer ends by roller chains 35. The frame '39 is carried by a shaft 40 mounted in takeup bearings 41 by means of which the tension on the conveyor frame is adjusted. The parts are so proportioned and so spaced from the tracks that when the frame is car- -ried from its horizontal path into its path around the sprocket wheels, the belt 30 is moved clear of the sprocket wheels thus permitting the use of a belt of unusual width.

The disintegrator 18 is adjustably mounted at opposite ends upon a pair of housings 42 mounted adjacent the discharge end of the conveyor 17. Each of these housings is provided with a bearing surface 43 concentrically disposed with reference to the axis of rotation of the shaft 38 and designed to support the disintegrator in one of a plurality of positions disposed about the discharge endof the belt 30.

The disintegrator includes a plurality of intermediate, parallel cutting disks 44 and end supporting disks 44 all fixed to a driving shaft 45 so as to rotate therewith. As shown in Figure 1, opposite ends of the shaft are each mounted within an eccentric bushing 46 adjustably mounted in a circular bearing block 47. The blocks 47 are each bodily movable in an are on the hearing faces 43 and are each held in adjusted position thereon by clamping nuts 48. The bearing blocks 47 each includes a circular split ring-shaped extension 49 and clamps the bushing in its angularly adjusted position by a clamping bolt 50.

The disin'tegrator is adjusted in its arc of movement relative to the opening 26 and to the discharge end of the belt conveyor by means of a hoisting device 51. This device includes a drum shaft 52 mounted on the frame work of the hopper and connected to the bearing blocks 47 by'means of a pair of chains passing about drum wheels 54 mounted on the shaft. A capstan 55 at one end of the shaft provides a means for rotat ing the shaft and thus lifting the disintegrator. Insurance against the slipping of the disintegrator before it is secured in ad justed position is provided by means of a pawl and ratchet connection 56 between the shaft and the support.

The shaft 45 is provided at one end with a sprocket wheel 57 by means of which the disintegrator may be rotated either in the same direction or counter to the direction of movement of the stream of material fed thereto As shown in Figure 5, theint e ing 26.

when passed therethroughh The disks let are provided with raised shoulder portions 59. The peripheries of each of these intermediate disks are grooved to provide a seat for binding wires 61 drawnunder tension, and fitted into these peripheral seats. The

binding wires actto hold a plurality of cutting or disintegrating wires '62 positioned on the shoulders 59. The disintegrating wires extend between the cutting disks and the end disks l4 and act upon the stream of material cutby the disks to break up or dis- 1 integrate the strips so cut; Each of these wires has one end thereof fastened to one of the end disks by means ofa pin- 62 and has its opposite end fixed tothe other end disk. Means are provided at this other end disk for placing the wires under tension. This tensioning means includes abell crank lever 63, one arm of which is .attached to the wire and the otherarm of which is acted upon by an adjustable tension spring 6%.

As shown in Figure 1, the outer and under side ofthe disintegrator isprovided with a sheath 65 which extends transversely across thedisintegrator and has its lowerportion curved to a radius slightly longer than the radii of the disks. The sheath is adjustably supportedso that its lower delivery edge is in close proximity to the disks and is disposed so as to prevent thescattering of material which may be occasioned by the action of the disintegrator and to assure a uniform and proper delivery of the-material to the sampler. I

In operation, and assuming that several movable elements of the device are operatively connected to the power system so as to cause them to operate at the desired relative speed and assuming that load after load of the material is dumped into the hopper, the device can be left by itself and will operate automatically. j

The deflectors on opposite sides of the hopper tend'to distribute the incoming loads of material on opposite sides of the medial line through the nose of the plow and as the material is carried by the belt conveyor into engagement with the plow it will be caused to spread out in a layer of uniform thickness and the conveyorwill discharge thesame uniformly through the outlet open- As the layer of material is fed to the disintegra-tor, it is cut into longitudinal strips by means of the cutting disks, and the disintegrating wires moving upwardly through the mass, usually at relatively'high speed, will'tend to break upthe. strips before the material is permitted to falltowards the sampler. Even if wet and sticky the material is separated and fallsin astream of separate particles.

By means of a device:ofthe-eharacter thus outlined itpispossible'to obtain afair a sample of the material, even though this; material be of a plastic nature and otherwise 1 diflicult to handle. With reference to the hopper an advantage is attained over. any attemptgto feed the irregular mass ,ofmaterialthrough an opening, the adjacent sides of which are disposed .in lanes perpendicular to the direction of motion of the material, in that there is less stress upon the mechanism, of the conveyor and less power consumed.

d/Vhen the plowoutlined is used the supply of material discharged by the conveyor to the disintegrator ismore continual and uniform than heretofore for apparently the wet material does not exhibit any tendency'to pile up on the plow. Using a relatively large belt on the, conveyor givesthe feeder a large capacity at slow speed. Further, with the particular type of conveyor disclosed lateral or side creep of the belt is minimized andbelt tension is eliminated as the driving or carrying effect is proportioned to the weight of the load only and relative movement between the belt and its carrying frame-is minimized so as to eliminate wear on-the underside o'fthe belt.

Having thus described my invention, I claim-z j l 1. In a device ofthe class described,the combinationlof an open-bottom hopper having a discharge opening at one end, a belt conveyor constituting the bottomfof said hopper and acting on" the contents of the hopper-to move the same in a continuous stream through said discharge opening, ineans within the hopper for regulating the stream discharged from said opening, cutting means composing a wire cage atthe discharge end of the conveyor for disintegrating the material of the stream after it is discharged from said opening, and power means for drivingsaid conveyor and cutting means; i i

- 2. In a dev'ice'of the class described, the combination of an openbottom hopper having a discharge opening at one end, a belt conveyorconstituting the bottom of said hopper and acting on the contents of the hopper to move the same in. a continuous stream through said discharge opening, Ineanswithin thexhopper for regulating the stream discharged from said opening, cutting means composingfa wire cage at the dischargelend of. the. conveyorfor disintegrating the material of the stream after it is discharged fromlsaid opening and. for adjusting theQposition of said cutting meansrelative to the discharge endof the belt. a Y

- In a machine for sampling material having an adhesive character, the combina- IOU charge, the adhesive material to be sampled, a disintegrating device positioned to receive the-materialdischarged from the belt conmeans including aplurality of spaced apart rotating cutting disks disposed in planes parallel to the direction of movement of the stream to cut the same into strips and revolving pickers resiliently supported between the cutting disks anl engaging the strips to disintegrate the same.

5. In a sampling machine, the combinationof means for causing the material to be sampled to form a continuous stream and means for disintegrating the stream, said means including a plurality of spaced apart rotating cutting disks disposed in planes parallel to the direction of movement of the stream to cut the same into strips, revolving pickers resiliently supported between the cutting disks and engaging the strips to disintegrate the same and means for separating the disintegrated material into two streams.

6. In a sampling machine,- a disintegrating device for breaking up the material to be sampled, said device including a driving shaft, a plurality of spaced apart material cutting disks mounted on said shaft to rotate therewith and a wire circular in cross-section positioned between said disks adjacent'the peripheries thereoffor engaging the material to'break up the same as it is fed past the device.

7. In a sampling machine, a disintegrating device for breaking up the material to be sampled, said device including a driving shaft, a plurality of spaced apart material cutting disks mounted on said shaft to rotate therewith, a wire positioned between said disks adjacent the peripheries thereof for engaging the material to break up the same as it is fed past the device and wiretightening-means engaging one of said wires to place the same under tension. l

In a sampling machine, a disintegrating device for breaking up the material to be sampled, said device including a driving shaft, a plurality of spaced apart material cutting disks mounted on said shaft to rotate therewith, the peripheries of said disks provided with wire-receivingaecesses, a wire extending across the space between adjacent disks and demountably positioned in said recesses and means for securing the wire in place 9. A disintegrating device for breaking up a stream of material and including a plurality of spaced apart parallel disks mounted for rotary movement about a common axis of rotation, each of said disks hav-- ing its periphery recessed'at spaced apart points, a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart wires extending through the recesses of adjacent disks and extending substantially parallel to said axis of rotation.

10. Av disintegrating device for breaking up a stream of material and including a plurality of spaced apart parallel disks mounted for rotary movement about a common axis of rotation, each of said disks having its periphery recessed at spaced apart points, a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart wires extending through the recesses of adjacent disks and extending substantially parallel to said axis of. rotation and tensioning means engaging said wires to stretch the same between the disks.

- 11. In a disintegrating device, the combination with a belt conveyor, a support mounted adjacent the discharge end of said conveyor, said support including a circular bearing, a shaft-supporting-bushing mounted for rotary movement in said bearing, a shaft mounted eccentrically in said bushing, a cylindrical drum operatively connected to said shaft to rotate therewith, said drum including revolving disintegrating members for engaging the material discharged from said belt conveyor, and means for securing the bearing in adjusted position in said support thereby to vary the position of the disintegrating members relative to the belt conveyor.

12. In a disintegrating machine, the combination of a pair of parallel disks mounted for rotary movement about a common axis, each of said disks having a. grooved periphery'. and each of said peripheries provided with a wire receiving recess, a material disintegrating wire extending between the disks substantially parallel to the axis of rotation and demountably positioned in said recesses and binding wires disposed in the grooved peripheries of the disks and bearing on the disintegrating wire to hold the same in place.

13. In a disintegrating machine, the combination ofa pair of parallel disks mounted for rotary movement about a common axis, each of said disks having a grooved periphery. and each of said peripheries provided with a wire receiving recess, a material disintegrating wire extending between the disks substantially parallel to the axis of rotation and demountably positioned in said recesses, binding wires disposed in the grooved peripheries of the disks and bearing on the disintegrating wire to hold the same in place and means for placing the disintegrating wire under' tension while so held by the: binding wires. i

14. In a device of the class described, the combination of a belt conveyor, including a belt carrying Wheel at one end, a housing having a bearing surface disposed concen- 5 trically with the axis of rotation of said Wheel, a shaft bearing slidably mounted on said surface, a shaft carried by said bearposition of the bearing on said bearing surface thereby to adjust the position of the disintegrating device relative to the belt conveyor.

FRED MASON MARTIN. 

